When Fate Faltered

Joel’s arm froze there in midair.

After a long moment, he finally lowered the arm that had gone numb from being held up and questioned me impatiently, “What the hell is wrong with you today?”

“You were in tears when you agreed to my confession. How can you change like this in the blink of an eye?”

“Helen, do you even remember how obedient and well-behaved you used to be?”

My chest felt tight.

I did not even want to respond to him.

I had been immersed in a beautiful dream for so long, believing that I was the only one in his heart. I thought we would go to college together in Eidolon City, live and eat together, and, after graduation, smoothly get engaged, get married, and have children.

Until today, when the truth was torn open.

Only then did I finally understand the fact that he never loved me.

To him, I was nothing more than a burden who had saved his life as a child. I was just an insignificant person.

I took a deep breath and repeated calmly, “I’m not making a scene. I’m serious about breaking up. Don’t contact me again.”

However, Joel suddenly lost his temper.

He threw the jewelry box to the ground, anger staining his brows and eyes. “Helen, are you freaking done already…”

Before he could finish, he was interrupted.

My father stepped in front of me protectively, frowning slightly. “Joel, watch your language.”

“You’ve been caught in the rain. You should head back early, take a hot shower, and get some rest. It’s late already, so I won’t keep you for dinner tonight.”

My mother smiled as she handed him a slice of cake, her expression polite and composed.

“Helen has already made her wish, and she doesn’t need the gift anymore. Take this piece of cake back with you.”

“Go home early. Even boys need to be mindful of their safety when they’re outside.”

Joel stood there, stunned for a long time.

I knew why, somehow.

In the past, whenever he came over, my parents had always been warm and welcoming.

There had never been a time when they did not let him in.

He could not understand why my parents’ attitude was so different today. He hesitated, wanting to say something.

However, the front door had already slammed shut in front of him with a loud bang.

He was left there just like that.

I really did not have much of an appetite.

After taking a couple of bites of cake, I went back to my bedroom to get ready for bed.

My mother was worried and sat at the edge of the bed, asking softly, “Helen, have you really thought this through?”

There were certain boundaries between fathers and daughters, but my mother was the one person in the world who understood and cared about me the most. She was the one who knew my feelings for Joel better than anyone.

She knew exactly how much I loved him.

I lowered my head and looked at the white hearing aid in my hand.

Suddenly, I did not know what to say.

I could only sigh at how people could change so much.

When we were little, after moving into this villa area, I used to like following behind Joel, as if he was my brother.

Both our families were on good terms and even had business dealings.

That day, both families went to a factory in the suburbs, never expecting an explosion.

Remembering the survival skills my parents had taught me, I managed to escape.

However, Joel was trapped in the fire.

I watched the flames grow violently, watched him stand frozen in place, his figure gradually swallowed by the fire.

I had no idea where my strength came from.

Before anyone could react, I rushed in, grabbed Joel, and ran toward the exit.

We were just about to make it out.

Then, the factory exploded. The shockwave severely injured me, and I fell into a long coma.

When I woke up, I could no longer hear.

The atmosphere between my parents was heavy. Joel’s parents looked like they wanted to speak but could not.

Meanwhile, I lay listlessly in bed all day, unwilling to talk or to interact with anyone.

Joel simply stopped going to school.

He brought me all kinds of tasty snacks over, one after another, but I did not respond at all.

Finding the hospital too dreary, he snuck me out and took me to a shop where I was fitted with the white hearing aid I now held.

He was the one who drew the rice field and little fish patterns on it.

Clearly just a child himself, yet he clumsily put the hearing aid on me and promised with a solemn face.

“Helen, I’ll protect you from now on.”

“Our tutor said your name means light—something bright that guides people in the dark. He said light never disappears, no matter how dark it gets.”

He looked at me with quiet certainty.

“Helen, you’ll get better too.”